Clarke Central High School was put on an administrative hold shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 16. Science department teacher Roenessa Witcher felt staff and students handled the hold well. “The (Administration) Team, the security resource officers, they all did a great job yesterday,” Witcher said. “Teachers and students did a great job because as soon as the lockdown happened, the hallways were clear. I didn’t see one student, one teacher, nothing.” Photo by Robert Lee Neeley, III
On Aug. 16, three CCSD schools were placed on administrative hold due to the discovery of a gun at CCHS.
Clarke Central High School was placed on an administrative hold due to the discovery of a weapon on Aug. 16. A group of students were originally pulled by CCHS administrators under suspicion of gang related activity.
The administrators investigated the students based on the topic and later requested the students’ backpacks. According to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department report, all but one student was compliant.
“The student attempted to leave the room multiple times during my first moments of interaction with him,” the police report stated. “The student behavior became a safety hazard by concealing his hands, backing away from me, turning his body towards the other students, grabbing the door handle and not allowing myself or the administration team get close to him. I then removed the student from the door and removed the book bag from his persons.”
Upon making repeated demands to use the restroom, the student was escorted by a Clarke County School District officer. It was during this movement that the student fled and a search of the campus was initiated. While officers were looking for the student, a gun was discovered in the recovered backpack.
“Once the item was identified, (Assistant Principal) Ms. (Latinda) Dean put the school on administrative hold (shortly before 2:30 p.m.),” the police report stated. “I notified central communications to have units reroute the campus and assist in locating the male suspect.”
“I didn’t know what was going on. It could have been a school shooter, could have been somebody near our class that was going to harm me. That’s why I was scared.”
— Randall Swoopes Jr.,
Clarke Central High School junior
CCHS families were first alerted of the administrative hold in an email sent around 3 p.m. to CCSD recipients.
“We are currently managing a situation at (CCHS) and have placed the campus on administrative hold,” the email stated. “We would like to reassure all families that our students are safe and the matter is being addressed following CCSD protocols.”
CCHS junior Randall Swoopes Jr. was initially frightened by the administrative hold announcement.
“I didn’t know what was going on. It could have been a school shooter, could have been somebody near our class that was going to harm me,” Swoopes said. “That’s why I was scared.”
CCHS science department teacher Roenessa Witcher was teaching when the administrative hold was announced over the intercom.
“I looked into my room and I saw the stare on my students’ faces, so I knew I had to remain calm for them,” Witcher said. “I told them, ‘We’re on a soft lockdown, it’s okay. We’re just gonna keep moving and keep on going through the lesson.’”
It was reported in a second email that Clarke Middle School was placed on administrative hold due to its proximity to CCHS. Details of the situation at CCHS were later revealed in a press release from the district sent via email around 6 p.m. The press release also announced that an administrative hold was initiated at Classic City High School.
“We appreciate the efforts of the CCSD staff members who responded calmly and professionally to this situation and helped ensure the safety of our students and staff,” the press release stated. “The (CCSD) and our security teams take the safety of our students and staff seriously and consider it our highest priority.”
All students were released from the administrative hold after a three-mile search from the CCHS campus was conducted. Associate Principal Dr. Summer Smith is sensitive to the discomfort the hold placed on the CCHS community and remains focused on campus safety.
“The administration and security worked hand-in-hand to make sure that, at all moments, everybody was as safe as they could be and that we continue to do that,” Smith said. “That’s our number one goal and we actively seek every day to make sure that, if we hear anything, we deal with it and handle it and squash any type of issue.”
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